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Derry surprise holders Antrim at Owenbeg

Thursday, 27 July 2017

The Derry team who defeated Antrim in the Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship semi final and will now face Down in the final on Wednesday

NO longer can Antrim assume that everything is easy in Ulster hurling and they got a sharp reminder when they were knocked out of the Under 21 championship by Derry at Owenbeg.Indeed, but for a couple of late goals from Eamon Smyth and Christy McNaughton, this would have been a real whacking as the Derry lads were head and shoulders above the opposition.Perhaps the brilliance of Cormac O'Doherty was the difference in the sides, the Slaughtneil player contributing two goals and five points to the Derry cause.Antrim never got going in this semi final and their cause was not helped when Cormac O'Doherty whacked home a penalty to lead at the interval 1-4 to 0-3.Early points from Sean Cassidy and Corey Riley saw the Oak Leaf side away set the pace as Antrim struggled for scores with their first point taking some 18 minutes. McNaughton was on the end of this one but an immediate reply from Darragh Cartin and O'Doherty saw Derry with a three point advantage.